On Sunday, Los Angeles added a new Farah to its walk of fame.
Her name was Farah O’Keefeand she was making the long walk from the 17th green to greet her teammates after perhaps the best week of her life. And although she looked little like the formidable superstar who completely dominated Great Britain and Ireland with five points and a triumphant victory in Bel-Air Country Clubit was the fist pump as her shot fell on the 17th to win the Cup that told the whole story.
O’Keefe, a junior at the University of Texas and one of the best college players in the world, led the Americans to a victory in this 44th Curtis Cup Game — the biennial match competition that serves as the Walker Cup women’s golf tournament. All week, she looked the part of a player fresh off an NCAA individual title and the start of the US Women’s Open… and she’ll probably waste some time heading to the LPGA whenever her time in Texas ends.
“It’s a lot of golf. I’ve played a lot of golf in the last month and a half. It’s really funny, really since the SEC,” O’Keefe said Saturday. “This is what I love to do, and this is my passion. Even though my body is hurting and everything is feeling kind of old, I’m still enjoying it and I think I’m running on a little bit of adrenaline.”
In the end, she finished 5-0-0, good for top billing on an American team that had no shortage of young talent, including amateur star Asterisk Talley. O’Keefe’s Americans overcame a late Saturday charge by GB&I with a strong finish in Sunday’s Singles, winning six of the last eight games to cruise to a 13-7 victory and extend the American team’s long-running dominance of the all-important final-day format. Since the Curtis Cup went to a three-day format, the Americans are beating GB&I 46.5-23.5 in the singles session. The Americans have also won four of the last five Cups.
“I think it was all about perspective,” Talley said. “You feel the adrenaline out there, so you don’t get too tired. But when you get tired, you’re like, man, it’s always good to be here with friends and family. I think it’s good to play golf every day for a living. You always have to keep it in perspective. Not everybody can do it. You have to be grateful.”
In the end, there was a lot to be thankful for on the American team as they pulled off a win to bring the Cup back to American soil. Only GB&I’s top two billings, Sophia Fullbrook and Patience Rhodes, managed to deliver victories on the final day as the American wave rolled into Bel-Air and Farah O’Keefe was crowned the undisputed winner of the tournament. The excitement carried into the team room for the American side, which was still buzzing even as night fell on Hollywood.
“I’m so over the moon,” said Jasmine Woo, another American winner. “I don’t know how to feel right now.”
On Sunday night and at least for the next two years, the answer is clear: She can feel like a champion.
